Remember the last post on women drivers and their stereotypes? This article is not just to prove those stereotypes wrong, it’s about learning to avoid accidents. The accidents described on this post ranges from minor mishaps to fatal collisions. Let’s not wait for the latter to happen, before we learn from simple driving mistakes.

The following is a top ten list that shows common ways by which you can avoid getting into a car accident.

#1 Don’t drink and drive. This is a basic reminder often told by parents to their children once they first get behind the wheel. The sad reality is that a majority of fatal vehicular accidents around the world is often connected with drunk driving. The driver may have fallen asleep behind the wheel and ended up ramming against a tree or worse, a hapless pedestrian just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

To avoid drinking and driving, as much as possible sleep over at a friend’s place during a party instead of getting behind the wheel and taking your chances. If you absolutely must get home, then be sure to have a designated driver who wouldn’t consume a drop of alcohol throughout the simple get together. These key reminders can save lives, including yours. So remember, don’t drink and drive.

#2 Make sure your vehicle is in tiptop condition. We can’t all have chauffeurs to care for our vehicles. Being a good driver doesn’t stop with getting behind the wheel and driving decently. It all starts with caring for your car and making sure that every single part is functioning properly.

You can be an excellent and cautious driver, but with a busted accelerator or brake system, your vehicle is an accident-magnet. Check your car regularly to see if everything is working as it should.

#3 Leave yourself space to maneuver by avoiding the fast lane. We all get impatient sometimes. If you’re in the freeway and the driver ahead of you happens to be driving at an excruciatingly slow pace, then it’s awfully tempting to simply head to the left lane and join the speeding, and often recklessly, vehicles.

What most drivers don’t know is that the center lane or the right lane on multilane roads, allow you bigger space to maneuver. In a way, these spaces give you “escape routes” in case an unexpected problem arises. A majority of the highway accidents happen in the left lane. As much as possible, try to avoid accidents by sticking right or center.

#3 While driving, keep scanning far ahead. If you keep your eyes focused only at the car that is ahead of yours, you won’t have enough time to prepare yourself for possible dangers located far down the road. Watch the vehicle in front of you, but keep your eyes moving to check on the other vehicles beside you, behind you and even far ahead of you.

Believe me when I tell you that the last thing you need is to hit an immobile vehicle at the road’s bend.

#4 Be wary of blind spots—yours and of other drivers. Every car has at least one blind spot. Even with the most excellent auto mirrors on the market, the increased visual periphery does not include certain places in front, behind or beside your car. By knowing your car’s blind spots, you’ll be a little more careful when turning or even just moving straight ahead.

It’s the same thing with other vehicles’ blind spots. If you happen to be sandwiched between two trucks or bigger vehicles and you can’t see their mirrors, chances are, the drivers can’t see you either. Larger vehicles have bigger blind spots, so as much as possible be on your toes when driving behind or alongside them.

#5 NEVER tailgate. Yes it’s tempting to tailgate when driving when traffic is heavy or driving in the fast lane, but you need to be able to leave just enough space between your car and the vehicle ahead of you. When driving on the freeway, roads may be slick. If you’re sticking too close to the car ahead of you, a sudden stop from the other vehicle could result to you hitting the car even after you’ve already stepped on the brake pedal.

#6 Use your vehicle’s hazards. There are times when while driving, you encounter sudden obstructions on the road. When you slow down your vehicle, make sure you turn your flashers on to alert the drivers behind you once they spot you slowing down.

#7 Be on your toes when it comes to traffic changes. In the same way that you should always scan far ahead while driving, you also need to be able to anticipate the traffic changes. For example, while driving in the fast lane and the other lane is pretty clogged with other vehicles, expect that some impatient drivers will dart over to your lane.

Traffic lights also tend to change quickly, especially from orange to red. When driving, remember to slow down when you see orange and don’t beat the red light. Another driver who sees green from the other lane might accidentally T-bone your car full-force.

#8 Don’t push your car to its limits. Different cars have varying horsepower and brake systems. Don’t cause an accident because you kept on pushing your car to its limits—whether in speed or hard braking. Keep in mind how your car performs or reacts in specific instances.

If for example your car turns easily with the slight tip on the steering wheel, then it’s important that you turn cautiously. Same goes with cars with brake pedals being too low. If you need to press hard on your brake pedal for a long time before it starts to slow down, your car’s braking system has a problem. Don’t tempt fate by tailgating and braking at the last second.

#9 Be on the lookout for crossing pedestrians, children and pets. The saddest accidents often involve innocent children. Granted that it’s partially the parents’ fault for letting their kids run after toys in the middle of the street, the driver is to blame when it comes to speeding through residential areas and around schools.

Most of these places have speed restrictions. The key to avoiding running over pets and children is to follow these speed restrictions and to drive cautiously especially in crowded areas.

The same goes with pedestrians. Some pedestrians cross lanes even when they’re not supposed to.

#10 Keep your temper in check. Road rage is a great factor when it comes to traffic accidents. Some drivers tend to curse out loud, give obscene gestures or aggressively try to push other drivers off of their lanes by intimidation and sometimes even sheer force. Instead of putting your safety into peril by letting your road rage take over, let the angry driver have his accident elsewhere.

At the end of the day, you’re safe and guilt-free.

Deborah Renshaw-Parker, or simply Deborah Parker as the rest of the NASCAR world knows her, was born on the 28^th of October, 1975, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She is best known for being one of the best female racers in the world, and as a promising NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver.

As a child, Renshaw’s interest and love for the sport of auto racing was well-encouraged by her family. She competed in the different tracks of both Kentucky and Tennessee, where her father owned his own racing team.

She graduated from Northwood University in 1997, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. Instead of pursuing a preppie career in the competitive world of business, Renshaw decided to return to her original passion—racing.

Before becoming a promising Craftsman Truck Series driver, Renshaw was first seen racing in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series from the year 2001 until 2002. During this short period, Renshaw managed to finish in the top ten a total of 13 times. She also attained pole position at the Riverview Speedway, setting a qualifying record.

Add to her list of accomplishments the fact that during those two seasons, Renshaw also became the first woman to have ever led a NASCAR sanctioned series. It was at the Nashville Speedway USA, during the 2002 season, where she was sharing her points lead with Joe Buford.

That summer, Renshaw managed to get the attention of the media once again, when several fellow drivers decided to enter a race just to finish behind her. Not a good thing, since they aimed to have her car protested. Renshaw sat out the next two races but continued he season and still managed to finish tenth in the track championship race.

The next season, Renshaw became part of the ARCA RE/MAX Series. During the 2003 season, she finished thrice in the top ten. Unfortunately, during her stint as an ARCA driver, Renshaw was involved in an accident that killed another ARCA driver, Eric Martin.

Martin had spun out after ramming against the outside wall following the fourth turn. He radioed his team to tell them he was fine—this type of accident being relatively common in the racing world. The fatal crash happened when Renshaw turning at full speed from the third turn to the fourth, managed to t-bone Martin’s car just as he was unbuckling his seatbelt. Although it was a complete accident, Renshaw failed to see Martin as did her spotter, both ARCA and Renshaw earned a lot of criticism due to the unfortunate accident.

The next season, Renshaw drove in 14 out of the 15 last races of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Although her highest position was 15^th place in any of that season’s races, Renshaw became the first woman to lead a race in the NASCAR CTS, at a single lap in Darlington 200.

December 2004, Renshaw replaced fellow driver Chase Montgomery in Bobby Hamilton Racing’s driver development program. During her first season with BHR, Renshaw became the first female driver to ever finish in a complete schedule at one of the three premier series of NASCAR.

The entire 2005 CTS (Craftsman Truck Series) season, Renshaw missed just one race. She was able to get two top ten starts, with her highest start being on the CTS Nashville Superspeedway at 8^th position. Unfortunately, Renshaw wasn’t able to finish on the top ten during this race.

After just one season, Renshaw found an unsure future with BHR. The company was required to find another sponsor. Easycare, the team’s principal sponsor pulled out that year.

Aside from sponsorship troubles, BHR announced that Bobby Hamilton Jr. was returning for a limited schedule run during the 2006 season, starting at the season’s first race in Daytona. There were no announcements regarding Renshaw’s future.

February 1, 2006, it was announced by the Tennessean, that unfortunately Renshaw would no longer be riding with BHR. It turned out that the loss of Easycare cost Renshaw her ride with the team.

Despite the not-so-pleasant career news for Renshaw, at the end of 2006, some great news was due for the lovely racing driver. She tied the knot with NASCAR driver Chad Blount that year.

Today, Renshaw is showing off her talents in the NASCAR All American Whelen Series, ARCA Re/Max Series and the UARA Late Model Traveling Series, hoping that she would secure a new career and great backing in the Busch Series or the Craftsman Truck Series.

**Note: Cartoon by the talented Andy Singer.

Buying your first car can be an extremely daunting task. The key to finding the sweetest and most perfect ride for you depends on your needs and what you can afford.

Here are some tips designed to help you narrow your search or to make the process of finding the right car easier. If you follow these tips, then you’ll definitely end up with the right car for you.

Tip 1: Choose your car based on your needs.

Yes, a nice two-seater, sports car would definitely make your co-workers turn green with envy, but it’s hardly a practical decision, especially if you plan on using your car for your son’s carpool.

Before choosing your car, write down a list of your car requirements. If you’re not on the tech-savvy or auto-savvy side, then a simple list of size and function ought to do the trick.

Ask yourself; is gas mileage important for you? If you drive around the country a lot, then you’ll need a car that saves fuel or gas. Remember, gas = money. The more you save, the better.

Most car salespersons tend to think that presenting you with bright and colorful cars will sway your decision from buying an economical and practical car to a more expensive car that doesn’t suit your needs. Prove them wrong by asking relevant questions about mileage and cargo capacity.

Ask yourself these following questions before you decide on what kind of car to purchase:

Are you getting a manual transmission or an automatic transmission car?

What type of safety features do you need?

Are you going to be towing anything with your car?

Will your car fit its allotted garage space?

Are you going to be doing off-road driving?

Once you decide on these things, look for a car that addresses all your needs.

Tip 2: Set a budget and follow it.

It’s easy to go over the budget when it comes to shopping or dining in a trendy restaurant, but an investment as big as your car deserves a firm hand when it comes to your budget.

When talking to your car salesperson, decide on whether you plan on buying the car or if you’re leasing. If you’re buying and paying on a monthly basis, then the rule of thumb is that your car payment should not be more than 20 percent of your monthly take home pay.

Let’s be realistic. A luxury car is definitely a sweet ride, but it also puts quite a big hole on your bank account. Tell your car dealer how much you’re willing to pay and try to negotiate the price—in short, learn to haggle.

Tip 3: Make your mind up when it comes to leasing or buying your car.

Here are some of the key advantages of leasing and buying.

Advantages of leasing a car: When you lease, you won’t have to give money up front, or if you do, the amount would be quite small compared to what you’d have to give up when you buy a car.

You can also drive a great car for a lot less money then you can put out.

A lease also allows you to drive a brand new car every few years.

You don ‘t have to face trade-in issues after the lease ends.

Disadvantages of leasing: You end up with no car by the end of your lease, and you have to replace it.

Advantages of buying a car: Owning a car means you won’t have to worry about mileage penalty.

Buying a car when interest rates are low can be considered a great bargain.

If you want to sell your car, then you can easily do so.

Disadvantages of buying: Buying a car upfront is initially a lot pricier and the monthly payments are also higher.

Decide on whether to lease or buy based on what fits your budget and needs best.

Tip 4: Research on the different makers and models.

Read reviews on blogs and other websites to find out the basic information on some of your chosen car models. Different makers also have varying specialties. Some have exceptionally great engines, while others offer car models that are extremely fuel-efficient.

Also research on car prices and how fast the value of a specific car declines with every year. If you’re planning on selling a few years after your purchase, then consider finding a car whose value doesn’t depreciate too heavily after a year or two.

Tip 5: Find a reputable car dealer which will let you test drive the car before purchase.

You need to know if the car works for you. At first glance, you won’t be able to tell how hard it is to shift gears or how low the brakes will have to go before your speed decelerates while driving at the freeway.

A test drive will let you gauge your “compatibility” with the car. If the car dealer has a website and an Internet salesperson, then ask about the specific model you’re looking for and whether they have the color and the trim level you want.

Tip 6: Expect to haggle.

A regular car salesperson will usually give you the highest price possible for the car. Don’t agree just yet.

This is where the importance of research kicks in. Since you know the exact price of the car model, the price the salesman offers shouldn’t be much higher than the approximated price of the car. Negotiate the price lower and reach a compromise that will make both you and the salesperson happy.

Expect the opposite from the Internet manager. Internet managers will offer you the “rock bottom” price as soon as the two of you begin negotiations. Although you may try to haggle, chances are the price of the automobile will no longer be lowered. Visit the car dealer if you’re interested in making a deal.

Tip 7: Ask about car insurance.

When you’ve made up your mind on the car model you want, ask about paperwork and the different insurance types your car is going to need. This will prepare you for the “other” costs that come with buying a brand new car.

Let these tips help you in finding the right car for you.

 Angelle Monique Sampey, or simply Angelle Sampey, was born on the 7^th of August, 1970 in New Orleans. She’s known as one of the most popular American Pro Stock Motorcycle racers in the league.   

Prior to becoming a professional bike racer, Sampey was first an intensive-care nurse. She left her job in 1996 to pursue her true passion—to become an American Pro Stock biker.   

Six years in the league led the determined and highly skilled Sampey to be the second driver to ever win three consecutive NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Championships. She is currently tied with racer Shirley Muldowney for the most number of NHRA titles won by a female racer. Today, Sampey is known as one of the best female racers in motorsports.  

Since her first race in 1996, Sampey has earned a grand total of 41 event victories and 44-top qualifier awards. She holds the record for the most wins for a female in any professional motor sports in the world. Pretty impressive for a female racer, don’t you think?  

Last year, April 1, 2007, Sampey won in a race in Houston, Texas making her just 5 wins shy from setting another record—as the racer with the most number of all-time wins in the Pro Stock Motorcycle league, a title that is currently under Dave Schultz’s belt.  

June 23, 2007 also became a benchmark in her career, when Sampey scored her 42^nd career pole position while also setting the record for the national Pro Stock Motorcycle time record with her highly impressive 6.871 second run at the Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey.   

Aside from all these records, Sampey also holds an active record for having 167 consecutive races without a single “Did Not Qualify”—a feat she holds since her professional debut in 1996.  

From her debut all through 2007, Sampey has been racing a Suzuki sponsored by the U.S. Army and R.J. Reynolds’ Winston brand. At the start of the season this year, she will be racing a Buell for Karl Klement racing, where she will be sponsored by the Rush Racing Products.   

As for her personal life, the lovely and über-talented Angelle Sampey has been married twice. Her first marriage was with Kevin Seeling, and her second one was with Nicky Savoie.   

Since her debut, Sampey has competed either as Angelle Seeling or as Angelle Savoie. She has since then reverted to using Sampey as professional name. 

**Side Note: Thank you Wikipedia for the details on Angelle Sampey’s records and personal life.

After almost 17 years after their last public outcry, Saudi women are again reviving their cause about their right to drive.

With the help of text messages and e-mails, these women were able to spread the world and gain support from various communities. In fact, they have gathered about 1, 100 signatures through convincing people on the malls and also the online community. With these signatures, a petition has already been sent last Sunday to King Abdullah.

Saudi women are again staging these demonstrations because of the difficulties they encounter everyday due to the ban on women drivers. In fact, in Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to travel, marry, and rent a hotel or apartment without asking permission first from a male companion or guardian.

Moreover, women have a hard time commuting because of the lack of public transportation. And although the big cities are abundant with taxis, women are not comfortable riding due to concerns for safety. Also, not all Saudi women can afford personal drivers.

These women, with the help of the internet and satellite television, are gaining worldwide support for their right to drive.

In a survey released last October 7, it was found out that more men are involved in major motoring crashes while women are often involved in minor ones.

According to the survey by Elephan.co.uk, male drivers have 42% likelihood in head-on collisions compared to women. Women, on the other hand, are 55% more likely to encounter an accident in a car park. This finding is based on data from 270,000 insurance claims. The survey also revealed that women are 47% more likely than men to be involved in a traffic light accident and 78% tend to lose their car keys.

Further survey results also concluded that men are have 36% more probability than women to hit a pedestrian on a pavement, have49% more probability to hit an animal on the road, and have 37% more probability to hit a tree. But women have 18% more potential than men to hit a cyclist and 15% more likely to hit a parked car.

Brian Martin, the managing director of Elephant.co.uk, stated that the company hold a huge amount of data on accidents and wanted to find out if there was a difference between how men and women crash. After the survey, it was sound out that there really was such a difference. He also added that generally, men drive faster and more aggressively than women, while women are more easily distracted than men behind the wheel.

Here’s another victory for women racers out there. It has been reported that Rahel Frey and Natacha Gachnang will be the first women to test an A1GP series open-wheel racing machine. They were selected by Team Switzerland for the opportunity.

The final test of the pre-season will host the 2007/08 teams. The inaugural 2005/06 season of competition was dominated by the French team with the Swiss team taking second.

“This shootout event at Silverstone will decide which of the two lady drivers will have the chance to represent their national team starting with the Brno Grand Prix, 2nd leg of the A1 GP Championship. It is very stressful for our two candidates. I anticipate that they will know how to calculate the level of risk involved and be fast,” commented Welti.

Aiding the two drivers will be the team’s lead driver Neel Jani, now racing in the Champ Car World Series. The Swiss driver looks forward to working with both ladies — one he has seen on many occasions when the USA-based Star Mazda series was at the same venue. Gachnang raced for the Canadian AIM Autosport team this year, one of three drivers on the team.

Her early racing career came challenging her own cousin, Sebastien Buemi. Coming from a racing family, Gachnang went from karting to the Formula BMW German series before coming over to North America.

Frey stayed in Europe after her karting days, moving to the Formula Renault series. Last year, she was active in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 before trying her hand in the new International Formula Master Series.

“I already talked to Rahel Frey last season and am glad to have convinced her to join us. As for Natacha Gachnang she is Sebastien Buemi’s cousin. She came to our attention this year after her podium racing in Formula Mazda in Portland (USA),” Welti said.

The offer on the table is the chance to race at the season opener on September 30th at the famous Circuit Park Zandvoort (Netherlands). With the new rule changes, the two races per weekend will be determined by two separate qualifying rounds. first round of two qualifying segments will set the Sprint race grid and the second qualifying will set the Feature race grid.

The A1GP officials have adopted several changes to heighten the competition as they enter the third season. Team Switzerland has heighten the level of competition in the male-dominated world of racing by opening doors further for women racing drivers, proving that a racer is a racer no matter their gender.

“It is becoming more normal for young women to race cars,” Welti said. “Like Italian Maria Teresa de Filippis (the first ever woman F1 driver in 1958), the Italian Lella Lombardi (the first ever woman to score a point in F1 in the 1975 Spanish GP), Divina Galica (the only F1 British racing driver), or Italian Giovanna Amati (who drove on the Brabham F1), USA Danica Patrick or Britain Katherine Legge.

“These two exceptional Swiss young lady drivers through their results have already raised the profile of women in motorracing as a whole. As A1 Team Switzerland, we would like to give them a chance to compete at such a young age and may be to race as a rookie driver for their countries in the upcoming A1 GP season”.

(Source: www.motorsport.com)